Brown’s ‘Bridge Investment Act’ Provision Would Create Jobs Building and Repairing Bridges Across the State With American Materials
WASHINGTON, DC – August 4, 2021 – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today hosted a news conference call on the Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure bill that will include his Bridge Investment Act. Brown first introduced this bill in 2018. It will create and support jobs, make local economies more competitive, and improve the safety of Ohioans across the state.
“Ohio’s bridges are now literally crumbling around us,” said Brown. “Right now, there are more than 3,200 bridges across Ohio that need repairs, so people can get to work, kids can get to school and we can move goods and services that support Ohio jobs. This investment in Ohio, combined with our strongest ever Buy America requirements, is a recipe for job creation in every region of our state.”
Brown was joined on the call by Howard Krueger, 81, of Cincinnati. Mr. Krueger said several years ago a piece of concrete fell on his windshield and shattered it when he was driving under the Western Hills Viaduct.
“All of a sudden a piece of cement fell down and hit my windshield and cracked it, you better believe it scared me,” said Krueger of his experience. “I think fixing infrastructure shouldn’t be a political issue – I think it’s a high priority issue of safety.”
As a part of the Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure bill, Brown’s Bridge Investment Act would provide significant funding to repair and replace nationally and regionally-significant bridges with American iron and steel. The bill is expected to be voted on this week.
Brown’s Bridge Investment Act and the provisions he secured will:
· Provide $12.5 billion in funding to repair and replace nationally and regionally significant bridges, like the Brent Spence Bridge in Ohio.
· Require construction to be done with American materials, ensuring Ohio tax dollars support Ohio jobs, with the strongest-ever Buy America standards.
· Accelerate aid to Ohio’s 3,200 bridges that need repairs. The 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers’ Report Card for America’s Infrastructure found there are at least 46,154 bridges in the U.S. that are ‘structurally deficient’ and 231,000 still need repair and preservation work.